With the sheer variety of literary genres, it's almost surprising that so many book lovers get stuck reading only one type of book. Some serious readers even go so far as to read only novels that have won a slew of prizes or are considered classics and they won't think about reading a 'light' genre such as sci-fi. Little do they know that many of the award-winning classics they prefer are also some of the best science fiction books in history.
The science fiction is normally simply called sci-fi. It encompasses a vast range of ideas and themes. Whether you want to read about aliens and outer space, time travel, cyberspace, scientists gone mad or 'what if' scenarios, you'll find something in the genre. What these books have in common is that they put forward ideas that are almost beyond imagination and where technology is often a central part of the theme.
Sci-fi ideas in literature date back to as long ago as the 2nd century. However, 'Somnium' by Johannes Kepler, written in the early 17th century, is often considered the first work in the genre. Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels' is pure sci-fi, as is Mary Shelley's popular 'Frankenstein'.
The Industrial Revolution and the innovation that came with it became inspiration for many a writer. Two of the most influential were H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. They're often regarded as the 'fathers of science fiction'. Wells explored themes such as time travel and alien invasion while Verne imagined fantastic journeys into the depths of Earth.
Two famous sci-fi authors are Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. George Orwell's thought-provoking 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' can be classified as sci-fi too, falling under the subgenre of dystopian novels. Aldous Huxley's ideas in 'Brave New World' begin to sound less like fiction and more like science when you look at advances in cloning technology.
Many writers in other genres have tried their hand at sci-fi. Even before H. G. Wells wrote about time travel, Mark Twain explored the concept in 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. Margaret Atwood wrote about a dystopian society in 'The Handmaid's Tale', as did Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago in 'Blindness'. Another Nobel Laureate, Doris Lessing, created an entire series of works set on other planets.
Many sci-fi novels have been made into movies. They include several film versions of 'Frankenstein', 'Planet of the Apes' and the works of Jules Verne. Other classics include 'The Andromeda Strain', the 'Jurassic Park' series, 'A Clockwork Orange', '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Dune' and 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe'.
While the 'Sci-fi' shelves in the library or at the bookstore are the obvious place to look for good books, don't forget to browse through the 'Classics' section as well. You can also order novels online. The advantage of this is that you can first read the reviews to see whether the book will be for you.
The science fiction is normally simply called sci-fi. It encompasses a vast range of ideas and themes. Whether you want to read about aliens and outer space, time travel, cyberspace, scientists gone mad or 'what if' scenarios, you'll find something in the genre. What these books have in common is that they put forward ideas that are almost beyond imagination and where technology is often a central part of the theme.
Sci-fi ideas in literature date back to as long ago as the 2nd century. However, 'Somnium' by Johannes Kepler, written in the early 17th century, is often considered the first work in the genre. Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels' is pure sci-fi, as is Mary Shelley's popular 'Frankenstein'.
The Industrial Revolution and the innovation that came with it became inspiration for many a writer. Two of the most influential were H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. They're often regarded as the 'fathers of science fiction'. Wells explored themes such as time travel and alien invasion while Verne imagined fantastic journeys into the depths of Earth.
Two famous sci-fi authors are Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. George Orwell's thought-provoking 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' can be classified as sci-fi too, falling under the subgenre of dystopian novels. Aldous Huxley's ideas in 'Brave New World' begin to sound less like fiction and more like science when you look at advances in cloning technology.
Many writers in other genres have tried their hand at sci-fi. Even before H. G. Wells wrote about time travel, Mark Twain explored the concept in 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. Margaret Atwood wrote about a dystopian society in 'The Handmaid's Tale', as did Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago in 'Blindness'. Another Nobel Laureate, Doris Lessing, created an entire series of works set on other planets.
Many sci-fi novels have been made into movies. They include several film versions of 'Frankenstein', 'Planet of the Apes' and the works of Jules Verne. Other classics include 'The Andromeda Strain', the 'Jurassic Park' series, 'A Clockwork Orange', '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Dune' and 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe'.
While the 'Sci-fi' shelves in the library or at the bookstore are the obvious place to look for good books, don't forget to browse through the 'Classics' section as well. You can also order novels online. The advantage of this is that you can first read the reviews to see whether the book will be for you.
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